Stocking and method of making same



NOV. 11, 1969 ,-F| E ET AL STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Aug. '7, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 vz i INVENTORS [EL ,wm/Z H14 #685 Jae/r z/w/rm s BY MW, M MM ATTORNEYS L. A. FILLMORE ET STOCKING mm METHOD OF MAKING SAME I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A a A B A a A .B A a A B n B A a n Nov. 1 l, 1969 Filed Aug. 7, 1963 um uu azs z/ Few Nov. 11, 1969 FlLLMORE ET AL 3,477,256

STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Aug. '7, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS LC .ZEZA/VDAJF/AZ MORE J 196% J, r/E/V/f/NS ATTORNEYS United States Patent STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Leland A. Fillmore and Jack J. Jenkins, Harriman, Tenn.,

assignors to Burlington Industries, Inc., Greensboro,

N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 300,492 Int. Cl. D04b 9/46; A41b 11/02 U.S. Cl. 66-172 7 Claims The present invention is concerned with certain improvements in the circular knit stocking construction and method of making same described and claimed U.S. application Ser. No. 290,702, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The above-mentioned application Ser. No. 290,702 describes a circular knit stocking wherein the heel is completely surrounded or encircled by a special type of run-resist section or band which separates the heel from the rest of the stocking and thus prevents runs in the heel from extending outwardly therefrom. In a preferred embodiment of Ser. No. 290,702, a corresponding run-resist section is also advantageously knit completely around the stocking foot just before the toe is produced so that the toe is additionally separated from the other portions of the stocking.

The run-resist section described in Ser. No. 290,702 contemplates the use of an extra yarn, called a lock yarn for convenience, along with the regular body yarn which is used to knit the leg and foot in the customary way. The run-resist section is prepared by plain or flat knitting and tucking the body yarn on alternate needles (i.e. in every other wale) for at least two courses While the lock yarn, which is used only in the run-resist section, is alternately plain knit and floated behind the tuck needles (i.e. the tucks and floats occur in the same wales or needle positions). Thereafter all needles are cleared, i.e. the needles are permitted to knit with both the body yarn and the additional lock yarn in plain stitch fashion without tucking and floating for one course, followed by again alternately knitting and tucking the body yarn on alternate needles while the lock yarn is alternately plain knit and floated behind the tuck needles, this series of tucks and floats being displaced one Wale from the previous series of tucks and floats. Thereafter all needles are again permitted to knit one course in regular fashion with both the body and lock yarns. This sequence is repeated several times just before and just after knitting a conventional reciprocated heel and just before knitting the toe.

The construction described in Ser. No. 290,702 will effectively prevent runs in the heel and toe from extending into the rest of the stocking. However, the use of the lock yarn in the manner prescribed requires certain additional operations which are costly and time consuming. For one thing, the band surrounding the heel must be knit in two sections, i.e. a top half which is knit just before the reciprocated heel and a bottom half knit just after the heel is completed. In view of this and the nature of the run-resist construction, the completed stocking always has several loose ends of lock yarn on the inside of the stocking which must be cut off or otherwise removed without damaging the stocking.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a stocking construction and method of preparing same using the run-resist section or sections of Ser. No. 290,702 whereby formation of the above-mentioned ends of lock yarn on the inside of the stocking is eliminated. Other objects and advantages will also be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.

Broadly stated, the objects of the present invention are realized by knitting the stocking proper, e.g. the leg and foot portions, with two body yarns rather than using a single body yarn as in the construction of Ser. No. 290,702 and appropriately adjusting the knitting operation, as will be understood by one skilled in the art, to utilize one of these body yarns in lieu of the lock yarn to form the run-resist section or sections. Thus, the stocking of the present invention may be described as a circular knit stocking including leg and foot portions knit with two body yarns in each course, with a heel and toe completely surrounded by run-resist sections which separate the heel and toe from the rest of the stocking, each runresist section comprising at least two courses knit with one of the body yarns in alternate plain and tuck stitches while the second body yarn in these courses is alternately plain knit and floated behind the tuck needles; at least one intermediate course of plain stitches knit with both body yarns; at least two further courses knit with one of the body yarns in alternate plain and tuck stitches while the second body yarn is alternately plain knit and floated behind the tuck needles, the tucks and floats in these further courses being opposed to plain stitches in the first named courses; and at least one other course of plain stitches knit with both body yarns. As indicated, this construction using the two body yarns and no specially added lock yarn eliminates undesired loose ends inside the stocking. Additionally, the present arrangement simplifies the knitting operation in the sense that needles at only two heights may be used in lieu of the three heights required by the use of the lock yarn as described in Ser. No. 290,702. The present stocking construction also has the advantage of avoiding variation in stitch size in going from the leg or foot into a run-resist section. This results in a better quality product and facilitates completion of the run-resist section.

In using the dual yarn construction described above, it will be appreciated that the leg and foot areas of the stocking are made with the two body yarns. Each of these yarns is fed to the knitting needles of a conventional type circular knitting machine using separate fingers for each yarn. One of these fingers is the co-called leg finger and the other one is a float finger. During conventional knitting of the leg and foot areas, both yarns are fed to all needles in the usual manner. However, when the tucking sequence on alternate needles is set up by arranging these needles at tuck height to produce the runresist areas, one of the two body yarns, i.e. the one on the float finger, becomes the float yarn while the yarn on the leg finger is tucked.

The invention is described in more detail by reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a stocking according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the conventional selecting mechanism of a circular knitting machine for use herein to select and position the desired needles;

FIGURE 3 is a pattern jack layout according to the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view showing the needle operation according to the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged photographic view of a heel portion of the stocking shown in FIGURE 1 at the area where a run-resist band bends around a reciprocated heel construction.

It will be understood that the drawings and following description refer to only fragmentary portions of circular knitting machines since the operation of such machines is well known to those skilled in the art. To facilitate understanding, however, like reference numerals and letters have been employed throughout to assimilate the workings of related parts.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a sheer circular knit or seamless ladies stocking S comprising welt, afterwelt, leg and foot portions, designated by the numerals 2, 4, 6 and 8, respectively. As noted above, the stocking is characterized by the fact that the body of the stocking, notably the leg and foot portions are knit with two body yarns, rather than a single body yarn as in the stocking construction of Ser. No. 290,702. These body yarns may be identical or different in composition, size and other characteristics. For example, both of these yarns may be 7 denier, monofilament conventional nylon yarns although higher deniers and/or multifilament nylon of the conventional or stretch type, may also be used. The leg and foot portions of the stocking may be either plain (or flat) knit or of some special mesh construction.

According to the invention, the stocking S is provided with the run-resist band AA which completely encircles the heel pocket D and separates the same from the rest of the stocking. Heel pocket D is made in conventional fashion by reciprocated knitting with a heavier yarn replacing the body yarns, after the upper portion 10 of runresist band AA is completed. After completion of the heel pocket, the lower portion 12 of the run-resist band AA is completed to surround or encircle the heel pocket.

A run-resist band or section BB of the same construction as band AA is also provided completely around the stocking foot 8 just before going into the conventional toe pocket T. The width of these bands AA and BB may be varied. However, as a typical illustration, each band may extend over, for example, about twelve to eighteen courses. In other words, the sequence described above may be repeated two or three times although more or less than this number of courses or repeats may be used if desired.

As noted heretofore, the run-resist bands AA and BB comprise a special combination of tucks, floats and plain stitches involving the two body yarns used to knit the leg and foot proper. More particularly, one of the body yarns is alternately plain knit and tucked on alternate needles for at least two courses while the other body yarn is alternately plain knit and floated behind the tuck needles. Thereafter all needles plain knit at least one course using both the body yarns and then two further courses are again knit as before with alternate needles used to tuck and plain knit one of the body yarns while the other body yarn on alternate needles is plain knit and floated behind the tucking needles, the latter needles in this case being the needles which were not used for tucking in the preceding courses so that the tucks and floats in these further courses are spaced one wale over from the tucks and floats in the previous courses. Thereafter one or more courses are again cleared while knitting the two body yarns on all needles and the above sequence is repeated to give the desired width for the run-resist band. The resulting run-resist portion can be characterized as comprising a repeating pattern of at least two courses knit with one of the body yarns in alternate plain and tuck stitches, the other body yarn knit alternately in plain and float stitches so that the float and tuck stitches occur in the same wale (i.e. at the same needle); an intermediate course of plain stitches knit with both of these body yarns; at least two further courses knit as before with plain and tuck stitches and floats except that the wale position of the plain and tuck stitches and floats is reversed followed by another course of plain stitches knit with these yarns.

As indicated above, the leg section of the stocking is knit in conventional manner using both the body yarns. A few courses, e.g. twelve to twenty courses or so before the point is reached for knitting the reciprocated heel D, alternate knitting needles of not more than one half the needle cylinder go into the tuck height position and the upper portion or top half 10 of the run-resist section A-A, which is essentially horizontal as shown in FIGURE 1, is knit around the back of the stocking. Knitting of this half 10 of the run-resist section extends a few needles or wales past the inner post of the heel, as shown at C in FIGURE 1, in order to subsequently join with the essentially vertical lower half 12 of the band AA. This lower half 12 is knit in the same manner as the half section 10 following the completion of the heel D which is knitted in reciprocated fashion in the usual manner. Following completion of the section 12, the knitting operation goes back into the conventional type of knitting used in the leg so as to complete the foot portion but just before knitting the toe in the usual manner, alternate needles go into tuck height so that the run-resist section B is knit completely around the foot.

It is not believed necessary to describe in detail the various parts of the conventional circular knitting machine used herein (e.g. Scott & Williams KN) since this type of machine and the operation of the various parts such as the control and selector means, cams, needle jacks and needles to knit the stocking of the present invention, will be readily understood by one in the art. It will, therefore, be suflicient to say that the conventional control and selector means which are provided on the standard type of circular knitting machines serve to automatically change from one predetermined type of knit construction to another through the action of appropriately positioned pattern jacks which set up the desired needle sequence, e.g. all needles plain knitting, alternate tucking and floating, etc. FIGURE 2 illustrates a typical selector control means. As shown, there are four sets of horizontally disposed selector control cams designated by reference numerals 28, 30, 31 and 32 and each selector control is operated from the main cam drum 34 by its own operating lever 35, only one of which is shown for the sake of clarity. In a manner understood in the art, the several individual horizontally disposed pivoted selectors 37 for each selector control 28, 30, 31 and 32 are operated by the usual series of butts or bits (shown in dotted lines) which are vertically arranged on a trick wheel 36, the latter being moved intermittently in a rotary direction in conventional fashion by means of a racking pawl 38 controlled by idler plate 39. As known, the butts on the trick wheel will cause a selector 37 to engage selected pattern jacks 14 which in turn determine the individual needle position for tucking or plain knitting.

For purposes of illustration, controls 31 and 32 may be selected as the ones which would be directly concerned with the knitting of the run-resist section around the heel pocket and the toe. In this event, to knit the protion 10 of the run-resist section AA which is positioned above the heel, control 32 would be released, allowing the selectors 37 to act on the appropriate pattern jacks 14 (as diagrammatically illustrated by rows 2 and 3 in FIG- URE 3). This functions in known manner to set up the necessary needle sequence to give the run-resist section. After knitting about sixteen courses (with the last courses comprising less than a full pattern), as an example, extending a few needles beyond the point where the innermost ends of the heel will terminate, the knitting machine goes into the usual reciprocated heel cycle.

For the portion 12 of the run-resist band AA which follows the heel, the operation described above using control 32 is repeated. When the desired number of courses have been knit, control 32 is withdrawn thus stopping the run-resist needle sequence and normal knitting is resumed for the foot.

At completion of the foot, controls 31 and 32 are released thus setting up a needle sequence which allows the run-resist section BB to be made completely around the stocking. This sequence continues for the desired number of courses, e.g. sixteen as before, after which controls 31 and 32 are withdrawn and the machine goes into the conventional toe cycle.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the pattern jack setup which determines the needle sequence necessary to produce the run-resist sections around the heel and toe according to the present invention. The dark spots represent butts or nibs on the pattern jacks which serve to position the appropriate needles at tuck height.

In order to produce run-resist courses only part way around the stocking as in section or 12 of the band A-A in FIGURE 1, it is necessary to select a panel of needles which, through the medium of the pattern jacks, will go into the run-resist sequence, while the remainder of the needles continue to knit in the conventional manner. Rows 2 and 3 of FIGURE 3 illustrate the pattern jack layout for alternating the needles for the run-resist section around the heel while the layout of rows 2, 3, 4 and 5 is used for making the run-resist section around the toe alternating needles completely around the cylinder. Rows 6 through 21 may be used for making mesh while row 1 is used for conventional needle division for the makeup and transfer.

It will be appreciated by those in the art that each vertical row of squares in the chart of FIGURE 3 represents a pattern jack. However, because of the large number of jacks involved in a conventional circular knitting machine, only a relatively few jacks are illustrated 1 in the chart of FIGURE 3 and the chart is, therefore,

broken up into four vertical segments representative of a complete chart.

FIGURE 4 shows the relative position of the conventional knitting machine throat plate 41, leg yarn finger 42, float yarn finger 43 and stitch cam 44. It also shows the needle sequence and the needle position with respect to the throat plate. As shown, the A needles are at clear height accepting both yarns from the leg finger and the float finger (i.e., plain knitting both yarns) while needles B are at tuck height accepting yarn from the leg finger 42 in the hook of the needle 45 while yarn from the float finger 43 goes behind these needles, floating and tucking on the B needles while flat or plain knitting on the A needles.

The group of needles C (containing A and B needles) represent the lock stitch needles while making the runresist fabric above and below the heel pocket while the group of needles D (containing A needles only) are the cleared needles and make the plain knit, which is across the instep of the stocking. When making the run-resist portion just before going into the toe area, needles around the entire cylinder take on the sequence as in group C,

thus permitting the run-resist portion to encircle the stocking at this point. This is brought about by the selector mechanism which is shown in FIGURE 2 as discussed above.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the invention described herein. Thus, for example, more than two consecutive courses, e.g. three, four or five courses, of plain knitting and tucking one body yarn while floating the other body yarn behind the tuck needles, may be used. Similarly, more than one plain knit intermediate course may be utilized if desired. Hence, the scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims wherein:

We claim:

1. A circular knit stocking including leg and foot portions knit with two body yarns and with a heel completely surrounded by a run-resist band which separates the heel from the rest of the stocking, said run-resist band comprising at least two courses knit with one of said body yarns in alternate plain and tuck stitches while the second body yarn in these courses is alternately plain knit and floated behind the tuck needles; at least one intermediate course of plain stitches knit with both of said body yarns; at least two further courses knit with one of the body yarns in alternate plain and tuck stitches while the second body yarn is alternately plain knit and floated behind the tuck needles, the tucks and floats in these further courses being opposed to plain stitches in the first named courses; and at least one other course of plain stitches knit with both body yarns.

2. A stocking according to claim 1 including a toe which is completely surrounded by a run-resist band separating the toe from the rest of the stocking and corresponding to the run-resist band surrounding the heel.

3. A stocking according to claim 2 wherein the runresist band surrounding the heel is of uniform width and formed in two portions which meet inwardly of the heel.

4. The method of preparing a circular knit stocking having leg and foot portions with a heel completely surrounded by a run-resist band which separates said heel from the-leg and foot portions, said method comprising the steps of knitting the leg and foot portions with two body yarns in each course; knitting part of said runresist band just before knitting the heel using said two body yarns in a combination of plain stitches, floats and tucks; and-knitting the rest of said run-resist band after said heel has been knit using said two body yarns in a similar combination of plain stitches, floats and tucks.

5. The method of claim 4 including the further step of knitting-both said body yarns in a inn-resist band completely surrounding the toe just before the toe is knit.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein each part of said run-resist band around said heel is prepared by knitting at least two courses with one of the body yarns in alternate plain and tuck stitches while the second body yarn in these courses is alternately plain knit and floated, then knitting an intermediate course of plain stitches using both said body yarns followed by knitting at least two further courses with one of said body yarns in alternate plain and tuck stitches while the second body yarn is alternately plain knit and floated, the tucks and floats in these further courses being opposed to plain stitches in the first namedcourses, and knitting at least one other course of plain stitches using both said body yarns.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the first part of the run-resist band is extended inwardly beyond the heel so as to jointhe other part and encircle said heel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 976,555 11/1910 Costello 66185 X 1,114,538 10/1914 Scott 66187 1,981,315 11/1934 Goodman.

2,000,176 5/1935 Katzenmoyer 66172 2,100,861 11/1937 Lochhead 66169 X 2,130,018 9/1938 Lochhead 66185 2,629,996 3/ 1953 Hamilton 66172 2,636,369 4/1953 Tait 66178 2,640,339 6/ 1953 Dowell 661'82 2,887,860 5/1957 Bellman 66172 2,921,455 1/1960 Purge 66178 X 3,052,110 9/1962 Heggie 66172 3,173,278 3/ 1965 Kaylor 66172 3,270,526 9/ 1966 Stack et a1. 966 3,208,241 9/ 1965 Frederick 66172 3,085,410 4/1963 Loizillon 66-185 FOREIGN PATENTS 79,339 10/1962 France.

WILLIAM C. REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 66185, 198 

1. A CIRCULAR KNIT STOCKING INCLUDING LEG AND FOOT PORTIONS KNIT WITH TWO BODY YARNS AND WITH A HEEL COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY A RUN-RESIST BAND WHICH SEPARATES THE HEEL FROM THE REST OF THE STOCKING, SAID RUN-RESIST BAND COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO COURSES KNIT WITH ONE OF SAID BODY YARNS IN ALTERNATE PLIN AND TUCK STITCHES WHILE THE SECOND BODY YARN IN THESE COURSES IS ALTERNATELY PLAIN KNIT AND FLOATED BEHIND THE TUCK NEEDLES; AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE COURSE OF PLAIN STITCHES KNIT WITH BOTH OF SAID BODY YARNS; AT LEAST TWO FURTHER COURSES KNIT WITH ONE OF THE BODY YARNS IN ALTERNATE PLAIN AND TUCK STITCHES WHILE THE SECOND BODY YARN IS ALTERNATELY PLAIN KNIT AND FLOATED BEHIND THE TUCK NEEDLES, THE TUCKS AND FLOATS IN THESE FURTHER COURSES BEING OPPOSED TO PLAIN STITCHES IN THE FIRST NAMED COURSES; AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER COURSE OF PLAIN STITCHES KNIT WITH BOTH BODY YARNS. 